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Monster Thrust: Driving the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Lux

April 25, 2012

1 of 3A front view of the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI LUX.

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2 of 3The interior of the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI LUX.

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3 of 3A 2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI LUX passes by.

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If you look at a vehicle's specs and see that the engine torque number is nearly double that of the horsepower, you can bet said vehicle will have decent acceleration or can be used for pulling stumps or both. That's certainly the case with the Volkswagen Touareg TDI.

The 3.0-liter diesel churns out a respectable 225 hp, but the torque produced is a whopping 406 lb-ft. With an eight-speed automatic transmission that keeps the engine in the powerband sweet spot—1,750 rpm—you hit the throttle and get pushed back into the leather seats as the gear changes snap off and the speedometer needle climbs toward triple digits.

But what makes the Touareg TDI an even more complete package is the 22-mpg EPA combined fuel economy. That's about 20 percent better than the gasoline model with a 3.6-liter VR6 that gets an EPA-rated 18.5 mpg combined, and it's easily 50 percent more fun.

The Touareg's 28-mpg EPA highway mileage—the best among six diesel-powered SUVs for sale in the United States—coupled with the vehicle's 26.4-gallon fuel tank gives you an effective range of more than 700 miles. Not stopping for fuel as often is another benefit of diesel propulsion.

With low-sulfur diesel now mandated across the United States, sophisticated engine management and an emissions-control system that makes the engine just as clean as any gasoline-powered vehicle in the market, you end up with a terrific SUV.

We came away impressed with more than just the acceleration and the fuel economy. Volkswagen engineers did a great job producing a chassis that offers good feedback from the road and a suspension that minimizes body roll in the nearly 5,000-pound vehicle. While it doesn't handle like a sedan, it does add up to a highly rewarding driving experience for a sport-ute.

The interior of our Lux-model Touareg was swathed in chocolate-brown leather and wood trim. It is as inviting a cabin as you will find, not to mention very comfortable and quiet, with seating for five. And the panoramic sunroof lets a ton of light inside. The VW's interior doesn't give up much to competitors from luxury brands Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

But this luxury and economy come at a hefty price. Our Lux model stickered for $53,225. The diesel option raises the price from the base model by $3,500. That would buy a lot of gasoline, and with diesel fuel running at about the same price as premium unleaded, you'd have to drive a lot of miles to make up the difference.

But for us, the thrust from the diesel and the extended range are more than worth the price of admission.